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30 Most Important Dogs of the Year
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Life in an Indian Slum

2011 in Animal Photos

Buzzfeed always posts random/fabulous/fun lists of things, many of them involving animals. So of course I was thrilled to see "The 50 Best Animal Photos of 2011" Here are some of my favorites.

Italian Octopus

Loving this photo from Nat Geo's photo of the day feature.

This Year I'm Thankful For ...

The Fluffington Post. You're welcome.

BUNNIES !!!

These photos don't need much introduction. Here are some of my favorite snaps from the 2011 European Rabbit Hopping Championship (Yes, that is a real event).

Dogs Galore

My favorite part of Buenos Aires .... The dogs ! And the dog walkers, usually commanding groups of over 20 at a time. The Argentina Independent posted this video story following one man on his 16km route with 23 pups. Enjoy!

Cat Yodeling

Cats scare me (because they always seem to want to attack me, sensing my fear), but I am not ashamed to proclaim my love for weird cat videos ... I mean, who doesn't enjoy watching these things? Regardless, Advanced Cat Yodeling cracks me up because my dear Godmumsy Carolee used to make her Lily squeal and yodel like a feline accordion. For some reason I find this utterly hilarious. So I decided to let you all in on the fun. Once you start, you just can't stop.

The Furry Faces of Proyecto 4 Patas

Here are some contenders ... Please check out Proyecto 4 Patas - especially if you are in Argentina. Hopefully by next week we'll have our furry friend here keeping us company! I AM SO EXCITED.

Weekend Update

We had a really lovely, if not low key, weekend here at Basavilbaso. I've been on a design kick lately and have been itching to make some serious changes to our apartment. Jose's been living here for more than 10 years and I just feel like it needs a little update! At least to mix it up and keep things feeling fresh. Living on the 14th floor of an apartment building (with tiny Argentine elevators) makes it difficult to move in/out big pieces of furniture, but you just have to be a little more creative.

A friend of mine who just moved here about 6 months ago passed on an amazing contact that has me too excited for my own good. She and her fiance stumbled upon this carpenter's collective/workshop in the Chacarita neighborhood - It's this space full of rescued and found wood, with lots of men buzzing about and working like mad. They can make pretty much anything you want (anything!), totally custom, or you can pick about and find something they already have. You can also bring in an old piece of furniture and they will restore or update it for you. Pretty cool. We're about to order a huge table for our terrace - the one we've got is old, rickety and probably rotten - so we can start enjoying summer nights up there a little more easily. Next step will be seating, and I'm dreaming of an old park bench, so we'll have to see where things go from here ...

Yesterday we ventured over to the Rose Garden in Palermo after having lunch with Raquel and Lele. An NGO that I really feel close to - Proyecto 4 Patas - was having a dog adoption and awareness day. Of course we were going to check it out! I can't say no to things like that. It was so amazing to be surrounded by loving puppies and older dogs who are just looking for loving homes. The people who run it do it out of the goodness of their hearts, taking in dogs that are literally left for dead on the side of the highway, neglected by abusive owners, or just found roaming the streets. Many suffer from medical issues and require extreme intervention by a vet. Once they are healed and treated, they are put up for adoption. Dog rescue isn't as big of a "thing" in Argentina as it is in the States, at least from what my experience shows. Most people will just get a puppy because it's cute, often from a breeder who isn't reputable, and that's that. (Of course there are exceptions to this). What I love about Proyecto 4 Patas is that they promote awareness about not only adoption but also about spaying/neutering animals as the only humane way to control the population. No one neuters their dog here - something I have never managed to understand - and that leads to lots of unplanned street puppies.

José and I are most likely going be like "foster parents" for a dog that is recovering from medical treatment while waiting to be adopted. It's a perfect option for us because it's not a "forever" commitment, but it allows us to help out (aka have my heart explode with love) and also test-drive what it will be like for us to have a dog in the apartment. They are just so grateful that anyone will open their doors to the animals, so there is no minimum time commitment. Right now I'm waiting to hear about a job interview and (hopefully!) offer so it would not be reasonable to get a puppy! Taking in an older dog who just needs love and attention is a perfect way to make a difference  and have some canine companionship!

I also spent a lot of the weekend watching September 11th coverage on tv. I have never felt so far away from home. Ten years. I was able to look at the events through different eyes now that I'm much older than I was that incredibly beautiful day in 2001. It was moving, heart-wrenching, and cathartic to watch it all again.

Ok, time for Pilates ... More life updates, with pictures! coming soon.

Snaps

I need this turtle. Source

I also need this bag. Source

I need this Golden Doodle to keep me company. (borrowed from a friend's Facebook page)

The Best of Friends ..

My sister sent me this article last week. I am just getting around to it now because I haven't been able to stop laughing/crying when I read it. Hello, a dog and an orangutan are best friends! I love strange animal friendships and bonds. here is the link, for some reason I could only upload this one image so it's totally worth clicking over to the article -- The look on the dog's face is priceless!

Homage to Spittles

When we were young, living on lovely Larrimore street and up to no good, we spent lots of time playing in the stream that ran past my best friend's house. One day we found a huge, enormous, sloppy lookin' frog who literally leapt several feet with a single bound! He was so big that we had to put him in a large cardboard box with a window screen as a lid - otherwise he'd leap out and hop away. Every time he jumped up to try to escape he'd leave a little spit bubble in the grid of the screen. After a very short period of deliberation, we named him Spittles (so creative, I know).

Spittles was too big for our little lives and we ended up re-releasing him back into the stream. I remember he was so big that we had to put him in a laundry basket because that was the only thing that really "fit" him.

Our friends - the same neighbors from Larrimore - sent us a picture the other day of the next generation of Spittles - Spittles' progeny, perhaps! He was traipsing around their backyard, hiding under the leaves. They snapped a few shots and sent them our way.

Anyway ... Viva Spittles! His legend lives on.

Dogs Dogs Dogs

In a devastating display of injustice, the Westminster Dog Show was not aired on television here in Argentina. I am still getting over this tragedy, and the only remedy for my suffering is to watch the slideshow of the 102 Best in Breed over & over again. I'm going to post my favorite pups, which you'll see are a healthy percentage ... I might as well just have posted every single one but that would've most likely been overkill.

Enjoy these wonderful canine specimens !!!! Be sure to take a look at their names, some are incredible (Like the Chow Chow - 1-800-Hotstuff!)

Luna & Lola

I saw this book for sale on One King's Lane today and I'm thisclose to buying it. We all know I can't resist anything that has to do with:

1. Dogs
2. Dogs that are friends with each other
3. Miniature dachshunds
4. Dachshunds named Lola
5. Beautiful black and white photography displaying pure canine love and friendship.

Enjoy this mini-snap I took from the site as well as the book's description.

"In 1997 Priscilla Rattazzi and her family got a fluffy golden retriever, which they named Luna. Seven years later, they got a miniature dachshund they called Lola. As different in temperament as they were in body size, these two beloved dogs eventually became the quirkiest couple in Carnegie Hill, New York City. Here, renowned photographer Rattazzi captures the distinct personalities of these two charming canines. In 150 black-and-white photographs, she chronicles the playful spirit of their everyday activities while capturing how their changing lives eventually mirrored that of her own family. Filled with personal essays and anecdotes - including a moving obituary for Luna - Luna & Lola is a touching tribute to the ways in which our dogs become inextricably entwined in our hearts and our souls."